Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas, born Irma Lee on February 18, 1941 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, is an American singer known as the 'Soul Queen of New Orleans'. She has been a prominent figure in the music industry for over 50 years. Although she is contemporaries with Aretha Franklin and Etta James, she did not achieve the same level of commercial success. In 2007, she won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 'After the Rain'. Thomas started her career with an audition for Specialty Records at the age of 13 and eventually signed with the Ron label. Her first single, 'Don't Mess with My Man', was released in late 1959 and gained popularity.